Water heater



H. O. BREE WATER HEATER April 21, .1931.

Filed Dec. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. O. BREE.

WATER HEATER April 21, 1931.

Filed Dec. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 7/.0. Bree INVFIYTOR PatentedApr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER HEATER Application filedDecember 22, 1926, Serial No.

This invention refates to water heaters and has for its object theprovision of a readily attachable quick action water heater which isespecially adaptable for general household use and for hair-dressingsaloons and the like where limited quantities of very hot or boilingwater are required at short notice.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means whereby thedischarge of a limited quantity of hot water from the water heater isaccomplished by the provision of water displacing means which is adaptedto be normally located above the water level when the apparatus is beingheated and water is neither entering nor being admitted but which onwater being introduced into the container is adapted to be depressedbelow the-water level thereby displacing a volume of water proportionateto the size of the displacer to be conveniently discharged through theoutlet pipe. The invention describes one way of attaining this resultboth when the invention is applied to high pressure and low pressurewater systems.

The invention consists in these features and in the features andarrangements and combination of parts hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

While the invention is described with reference to an electric waterheater having a specially designed heating unit, it will be obvious thatthe invention with obvious adaptations may be utilized with gas or othersuitable fuel.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate twoconstructional embodi ments of the invention Figure 1 is a sectionalelevation of the water heater to be used with high pressure watersystem, shown as applied to the average kitchen water tap, Figure 2 is asectional plan view on line A-B of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectionalelevation of the heating unit to show the wiring arrangement, Figure 4is an enlarged sectional plan view of the unit shown in Figure 3, Figure5 is a sectional front elevation of the water heater to be used with lowpressure water system applied to the usual kitchen water tap the valvebeing shown in the on position, Figure 6 is a partial sectional sideelevatio'fr'of 'Figure 5,

156,507, and in New Zealand August 24, 1926.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan View on line C-D of Figure 5.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention as applied to a highpressure water system and shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 there is acylindrical enclosed vessel or container 1 having a vertical baflleplate or partition 2 therein so arranged as to have an opening 3 at thebottom and is carried up only to such height as to be below the waterlevel 1-.

Into the container 1 to one side of the partition 2 there passes theheating unit container 5 of more or less rectangular cross sectionrounded at the edges and open only at the bottom outside of thecontainer 1.

At the opposite side of the partition 2 tothat of the unit container 5there is the water inlet control mechanism 6 which consists of acylindrical casting 7 attached to the bottom 8 of the container 1, thecasting 7 having an inlet pipe 9 passing to the top of a cylinder 10which is open at the bottom and provided with slots 11.

In the cylinder 10 fits a piston 12 the piston rod 13 of which passesthrough a guide 14 the bore 15 of which fits the rod 13 just neatlyenough to allow a small slow amountof leakage past the rod 13 the latterpassing upwardly and being attached to a D shaped in plan float ordisplacer 16 which has two guide strips 17 acting as guides forpreventing lateral movement of the displacer 16, a pin 18 attached tothe side of the container 1 passing between the guide strips 17. v

compression spring 19 is fitted over the piston rod 13 and it pressesagainst the displacer l6 and the top of the casting 7 in such a manneras to tend to keep the piston 12 and the displacer 16 always in the upposition as shown in Figure 1.

A stop 20 is provided on the casting 7 to prevent thepiston 12 frompassing right out of the cylinder 10. To the screw-threaded portion 21of the casting 7 which constitutes the inlet orifice is attached aregulating valve 5 22 the valve pin 23 of which has a slot 24 for theinsertion of a screwdriver or similar tool for altering the adjustmentof the valve pin 23 jlhe regulating valve 22 has connected thereto byunion 25 on the end of a piece of pipe 26 the opposite end of which alsohas a union 27 which connects it to the control valve 28 which isconnected by pipe 29 to a T 30 which replaces the usual socket at theback of the kitchen or similar water tap 31 on the water supply pipe 32.

The container 1 has an outlet pipe 33and is surrounded by a jacket ofsuitable insulating material 34 which has fitted thereover a casing. 35.which is attached to a simple bracket 36 with a circular hole 37therein fitted with a removable cover plate 38 with a hole 39 thereinfor the passing therethrough of flexible wires 40, 41 and 42 theopposite ends of which are connected to a conveniently situated electricoutlet provided with a three point switch (not shown).

The Wires 40, 41 and 42 are connected to the terminals 43, 44 and '45 ofthe heating unit 46 which is a press fit in the heating unit container5. This unit 46 (see Figures 3 and 4) consists of two strips of mica 47and 48 over which the windings 49 and 50 are wound, the upper ends 51 ofwhich are connected together and have a wire 52 passing therefrom to thecentre terminal 44 the lower ends of the windings 49 and 50 beingattached to the terminals 43 and 45 respectively, a strip of mica 53being placed between the windings'49 and 50, a strip 54 between thelatter and the wire 52, and strips of mica 55 and 56 on the outside ofthe windings 49 and 50 to keep them and wire 51 away from the metalcasing 57 fitted thereover, the terminals 43, 44 and 45 being insulatedtherefrom by being mounted on'insulating blocks 58.

The water heater to be used with low pressure water, see Figures 5, 6and 7 comprises a preferably cylindrical enclosed vessel or container 1having a vertical baffle plate or partition 2 therein so arranged as tohave an opening 3 at the bottom and is carried up only to such height asto be below the water level 4. I

In the bottom of the container 1 to one side of the partition 2 there isa screw hole 59 into which fits thescrew base or nipple 60 of theheating unit container 5 (for holding unit 46) the unit container 5being of more or less hollow rectangular cross section and open only tothe outside of the nipple 60, the said nipple being provided with acover plate 61 having an insulating bush 62. a

At the opposite side of the partition 2 to i that of the heated unitcontainer 5 there is provided the water inlet and control means 63comprising a bored body casting 64 attached to the side of the container1, the inner end of the casting 64 having a tapered bore 65 into whichneatly fits a tapered'plug 66 which is bored at 67.

The plug 66 has a spindle 68 attached thereto which passes along thebore 69 of the body 64 and to the outside thereof through gland 70,thespindle 68 having an outer screw-threaded end 71 to enable a handle 72to be secured thereto, a spring 73 over the spindle 68 pressing againstthe handle 72 and the gland so as to tend to keep the plug 66'within thetapered bore 65.

The portion of the body 64 outside the container, 1 is provided with abranch nipple 74 which has connected thereto by union 25, one end of alength of suitable pipe 26, the opposite end of which also has a union27 connecting it to a T 30 which replaces the usual ,socket at the backof a kitchen or similar water tap 31 on the Water supply pipe 32.

The body 64 is provided with a hole 75, the plug 66 also having asimilar hole 76, these holes being so related to each other that theysynchronize or coincide (see Figure 5) when the handle 72 is turned downto a horizontal position, the plug 66 being limited in its rotatingmovement by a pin 77 on its outer periphery engaging in a recess 78 inthe body 64 (see Figures 5 and 7).

The plug 66 is provided with a pm or lever 79 at right angles theretohaving a hole therein into which passes one bent end 80 of a connectingrod 81 the other upper bent end of which passes into a hole in a lug 82on the bottom of a' D shaped (in plan) hollow float or displacer 16within the container 1, the connecting rod 81 being kept in place bysplit pins 83 passing therethrough at elther slde of the lug 82 andthe'lever 79.

The displacer 16 has a pipe 84 passing therethrough to form a bore intowhich a guide rod 85 attached to the top of the container 1 can pass.

The container 1 is provided with an outlet pipe 33 and is surrounded bya jacket of suitconveniently situated electric outlet with' switch (notshown).

In operation of the water heater shown 1n Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4,assuming the container 1 to be empty, the control valve 28 is turned onand water flows from the supply pipe 32, T 30 and pipe 29 through thepipe 26 and past the open regulating valve 22 through inlet pipe 9. tothe top of the cylinder 10.

The water in the cylinder 10 presses the piston 12 downwardly againstthe compression of the spring 19 drawing the displacer 16 alsodownwardly by the piston rod '13.

The piston 12 passes downwardly until it .comes incontact with the stop20 and in this position it has uncovered the ports 11 allowat the level4 container 1 which fills with water until it flows out of the outlet33.

When the water commences to flow from the outlet 33 the valve 28 isturned a and the pressure being thus removed from the piston 12, thespring 19 gradually draws it up to the top of the cylinder as the waterin the latter slowly leaks out through the bore of the guide 14. 1

While the float 16 is in the down position it is covered with waterwhich is at the level of the outlet'33, but when the displacer 16 is inthe up position the water level falls until it is (as shown in Figure 1)owing to the displacer 16 passing out of the water.

This lowering of the level of the water allows it to heat up andincidentally expand wlthout any of it dripping out of the outlet pipe33, thus saving annoyance of continual the hottest dripping also savingthe hot water as the amount lost by the dripping would be some of water,being'taken from the top level.

The container 1 having been filled with water and the valve 28 shut 011,the three point switch of the outlet (not shown) is switched on aiid theheating unit 46 heats up its container 5 which in turn heats up thesurrounding water which rises and flows over the-top of the partition 2and down the level control mechanism side of the partition 2 and throughthe hole 5 circulating past the unit 46 as indicated by the arrows inFigure 1.

It being desired to run ofl some of the boiling water in container 1,valve 28 is turned on and the piston 12 is forced to the stop 20, thedisplacer 16 being also drawn down into the water so that the waterlevel is raised and continued admission of cold water into the container1 forces the hot water of higher level to flow from the outlet 33.

By having a separate container 5 for the heating unit 46, the latter canbe at any time readily removed without having to remove the water in thecontainer 1.

With the use of the common three heat switch connected by flexible wires40, 41 and 42 three different degrees of heat can be secured with theunit 46.

With the first heat the power passes to the terminals 43 and 45 thecurrent passing in series through the. windings 49 and 50; with thesecond heat the power passes to terminals 43'and 44 and from thencethrough the winding 49 only and with the third heat and greatest heatthe power passes to terminals 43 and 45 and 44 the current passing inparallel through both of the windings 49 and 50..

To counteract the variation of water pressure in difl"erent towns anddistricts and to prevent flooding of the container 1 that is to say,admit water more quickly to the container than it can flow out of theoutlet 33, the regulating valve 22'is adjusted so that it will allowonlv the desired amount'of water the handle 72 to be in the verticaloffposition and the container 1 to be empty, the displacer 16 is thenup'the guide rod 85: water is turned on by turning the handle 72 to ahorizontal position as shown in Figures 5. 6 and 7, the rod 68 of thehandle 72 turning the plug 66 so that the hole therein is over the hole76 on the body 64, enabling water in the supply pipe 32 to flow throughpipe 26, branch 74, body bore 69, plug bore 67 and into the container 1through the said holes 75 and 76, the turning of the plug 66 havingdrawn the displacer 16 down the guide by the connecting rod 81.

lVater flows into the container 1 until it commences to flow out of theoutlet pipe 33.

the handle 72 is then turned back to the vertical. position, the plug 66turning so that holes 75 and 76 are not over each other, stopping theflow of water therethrough into the container 1 and simultaneously themovement of the lever 79 of the plug 66 has caused the connecting rod 81to push the displacer 16 up its guide rod 85 out of the water in whichit was immersed and it will be thus seen that the water level 4 willthen fall a distance below the level of the outlet pipe 33 equal towhich in turn heats up the surrounding water .1 1'

which rises and flows over the top of the partition 2 and down themechanism 63 side and through the opening 3 circulating past the heatingunit container 5 as indicated by the arrows.

It being desired to run ofi some of the boiling waterin container 1, thehandle 72 is turned down enabling water to How through the holes 7 5-and76 as described, the displacer being drawn into the water so that thelevel 4 is raised and continued admission of cold water into container 1forces the hot water of higher level to flow from the outlet 33. It willbe readily seen that if desired, to counteract variation of low pressurewater at different places or districts and to prevent flooding of thecontainer 1, that is to say, admit water more quickly to the container 1than it can flow out of the outlet pipe 33, small holes 75 and 76 can beprovided in the body 64 and plug 66 or large holes if the pressure isvery low. I

Claims:

1. A water heater comprising a container having a discharge orifice inits upper portion, an intake pipe communicating with the container froma water supply source, a displacer within said container, meansassociated with the displacer and controlled by the water supply fordepressing the displacer below the water level in the container uponwater being introduced thereinto, whereby fluid is forced out of saiddischarge orifice.

2. A water heater comprising a container, a chamber within saidcontainer, said chamber being provided at its lower end with portscommunicating with said container, an intake pipe connecting the chamberwith a source of water supply, a discharge orifice in the upper portionof said container, means for regulating the water level in thecontainer, a piston operable in the chamber, a displacer connected withthe piston, means for normally maintaining said piston in the upper endof the chamber, means in the upper part of the chamber for permitting aslow outlet of the Water in said chamber above the piston, said pistonbeing adapted to be forced downwardly in said chamber carrying with itthe displacer when high pressure water supply is introduced through saidintake pipe thereby uncovering said ports in the lower part of thechamber and permitting water to flow through said ports into saidchamber.

3. A water heater comprising a container, a chamber within thecontainer, said chamber being provided at its lower ends with portscommunicating with the container, an intake pipe connecting the chamberto a source of water supply, means for regulating the flow of water fromthe water supply to the chamber, a discharge orifice in the upperportion of the container, means for regulating the water level in thecontainer, a piston working in the chamber, a displacer connected withthe piston, means for preventing rotation of the displacer, means fornormally maintaining said piston in the upper end of said chamber, meansin the upper part of said chamber for permitting a slow outlet of wa terin the chamber above the piston, said piston being adapted to be forceddownwardly in the chamber carrying with it the displacer when highpressure water supply is introduced through the intake pipe, therebyuncovering said ports in the lower part of the chamber and permittingwater to flow through the ports into the chamber.

. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

'HELIER OSWALD BREE.

